The effect of material anisotropy on the energy absorption parameters of thin-walled structures under axial impact loading

Abstract

As transport and aerospace engineering advance, it becomes increasingly difficult to improve the safety and crash worthiness of aerospace or automotive systems to protect humans and vulnerable equipment. Manufacturers are seeking to improve the energy absorption properties of these structures through the use of new composite materials. This is a highly complex problem involving shock and buckling, structural failure and structural and material non-linearities. These systems absorb impact energy through various different mechanisms, Composites represent anisotropic and heterogeneous structures. In addition, the different plies of the same laminate can undergo different states of degradation. As for anisotropy, it implies that the behavior laws and failure criteria differ according to the axis along which the structure is stressed. The main objective of this study is to investigate new design information and the impact of the introduction of new materials with unusual behavior (Auxetics) on the energy absorption performance of carbon/epoxy composite pipes, which will contribute to the development of design guidelines for pipes such as energy absorbers in impact applications.